In the early 1890's when the Northern Pacific Railway had trackage rights over the Wisconsin Central, the mileage St. Paul to Chicago of 460 miles exceeded that of the C.M.&St.P. of 410 miles, and the C.&N.W. of 396. The passenger trains of the three lines operated on about the same time schedule. The Northern Pacific officials were applying pressure for better service and shortened running time.
In an attempt to cut down some excess mileage, a long-discussed Marshfield cut-off came to life in 1891. The proposed road of 60 miles would reduce the distance by 15 miles. Construction began in early 1891. The project was to run in a northwesterly direction frown Marshfield through the village of Greenwood to Bateman, 5 miles east of Chippewa Falls. By July the section between Marshfield and Greenwood was completed and opened for traffic. The nation-wide depression of 1892 caused all further work to be discontinued.
At one time the branch supported four passenger trains daily Now the line is operated for freight service only.